² While Israel was still camped near Jericho, Joshua sent some spies with these instructions: “Go to the town of Ai^[a] and find out whatever you can about the region around the town.”

The spies left and went to Ai, which is east of Bethel and near Beth-Aven. ³ They went back to Joshua and reported, “You don't need to send the whole army to attack Ai—2,000 or 3,000 troops will be enough. Why bother the whole army for a town that small?”

^4-5 Joshua sent about 3,000 soldiers to attack Ai. But the men of Ai fought back and chased the Israelite soldiers away from the town gate and down the hill to the stone quarries.^[b] Thirty-six Israelite soldiers were killed, and the Israelite army felt discouraged.